I’m on the road touring my show Luca Rutherford’s Political Party, which is coming to you at Derby Theatre this Friday (22nd) at 8pm.

I make work that playfully invites you to live with (for an hour) the big questions I’m asking alongside me. I’m excited about making work that happens with a room full of strangers instead of showing something to a room full of strangers. But don’t worry I’m not into cringey audience participation!

Why I reached a point where thinking about politics made me want to lie down on the pavement and not get up:

I think politics is boxed in as something that is done by people in suits or by hard-core activists and if you don't fit into either one of these identities then you won't really make much of a difference. The more I thought about politics the more stupid I felt. I wanted to get involved and be part of changing things instead of moaning about what needs to change. But I was confused and overwhelmed by how big politics, as a thing, felt. It was the whole political landscape really. Six years of a Conservative government (I started making the show in 2016), food banks, refugee crisis, housing crisis, huge levels of homelessness and the Brexit referendum result. Not everyone is going to hold the same political views as me but I think that whoever you vote for the feeling of being overwhelmed or confused by politics is universal. Or at least, it is experienced by most people at some point, even (or especially) the people in in charge of the political climate.

What can you expect from my political party?

Expect laughter. My logic is if I look like a right lemon then no one else will feel as stupid as me. This way we are all on a level and can be strangers in a room really thinking about some big things.

Expect a super chilled space. It's got the feeling of coming to a party at my house.

Expect to feel relaxed, like you are hanging out with your pals. There's music, some dancing, projection and free booze and non-alcoholic drinks as well as crisps, popcorn and a bag of Revels.

Expect NOT to be preached to. I want to say to many politicians WHAT DO YOU ACTUALLY MEAN? There is no way I would ever want my audience to feel the same about me. I'm not about making work where I stand on stage and try and sound dead clever.